Axle and wheel.



PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

T. E. LAMBERT. AXLE AND WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 7, 1905.

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AXLE AND WHEEL.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Ang. 7, 1996.

Application filed December '7, 1905. Serial No. 290,812.

To alZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS EDWARD LAM- BERT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Butte, in the county of Silverbow and State ofMontana, have invented a new and Improved Axle and Wheel, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to axles and wheels, and more particularly to thoseadapted for use upon cars. Its principal objects are to improve suchdevices both as to their lubrication and their general construction andto provide means for eliminating the friction of the wheels upon thetrack arising from slipping upon curves or from differences in thediameter of said wheels.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis speciiication, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding arts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a centra longitudinal section showing one embodiment of myinvention, and Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional details of a portion of theaxle and a cooperating wheel.

10 designates an axle having near its opposite extremities reducedportions 11 11, adapted to be received by suitable boxes in a truck andto rotate therein. This axle is shown as hollow, Jfurnishing a chamber12, the openings into which may be closed by screw-plugs 13. The chamberfurnishes a receiver for a lubricant, (indicated by 14,) which may flowthrough passages 15 to the bearing of the axle. Adjacent to the reducedportions the axle has mounted to rotate about it wheels 16 16, which, asillustrated, are provided with interposed bushings 18, having at theirinner ends lianges 18a, contacting with the wheels. They may becompelled to rotate with the wheels by dowel-pins 18". Although thesebushings may increase the initial cost of the wheels, they are readilyrenewed when worn and also permit of the axle being turned up whendesired. If at the same time the rim of the wheel iS made comparativelythick, so that it may also be dressed off, the life of the organizationis greatly increased. About each wheel, adj acent to the central bore,is a chamber 19 ,from which passages 2O of any suitable number and sizelead to the bearing ofthe wheel upon the axle. A lubricant (indicated at21) may be supplied to the wheel-chambers through openings normallyclosed by plugs 22. As an auxiliary to the lubrication from the wheel apassage l23 may lead from the chamber within the axle t0 eachwheel-bearing The .Gharacter Of ,the ,lubricant 14 may b .Such that atnormal temperatures of the wheel-bearing it S t0@ thick t0 flow through,the passa es; 'but if the ,Supply from the Wheels .fails heeteenrated'wll liquefy it, .so that it will Pass to the bearings. At theinner side of each wheel the axle is shoulderedat ,24, and against theseshoulders rest collars 25, fast upon the axle, they being convenientlyshrunk thereon and serving to take the inward thrust of the Wheels. Overeach collar projects an annular shield 26, preferably carried by thewheels, they being secured thereto by screws 27. Their purpose is toexclude dirt from the bearings of the wheels upon the axle. At theopposite or outer side of each wheel is a collar 28, which may be eithersecured to the shaft or loose thereon. In the former instance a screw 29may be provided, countersunk in the collar and bearing against the axle.These collars may be of various thicknesses and space the Wheels fromthe axlebearings.

Although vent their slipping upon curves,`the differences in diametersecured may not be sui-Iicient to compensate for the difference in speedof rotation, and inthe usual organization of axle and wheel the one ofthe latter which is at the outer side of the curve must necessarilysilp, producing great friction. The wheels are also liable to wearunequally in use, and this variation in diameter also introducesslipping and resulting friction; but with my improved arrangement itwill be car-wheels are beveled to prev seen that this slipping isobviated, the wheel which tends to run faster turning freely upon theaxle. At the v same time the device is very perfectly lubricated, andeven if the supply within both the wheel-chambers and axleboxes failsthey will still be supplied by the contents of the hollow axle.

If desirable, the bushing may be omitted and the wheel mounted directlyupon the axle, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This wheel issomewhat less expensive and may be used for lighter work. Here thecollar 28 is shown as being comparatively thin, and projecting from itsouter side is a hub or flapge 3() to receive a screw 31, fixing it tothe ax e.

In Fig. 3 instead of the shield 26, secured to the wheel, its equivalentis provided by a fiange 32 integral with the bushing. Instead of ascrew-plug for closing the openingto the IIO lubricating-chamber of thewheel a movable member 33 is provided situated within a sleeve 34,inserted in the openin and automatically held in coperation wit theopening by a spring 35. This member may be forced in by the spout of theoil-can, and it will reseat itself when this is removed, thus avoidingthe necessity of unscrewing or replacing the lug.

Having tllus described claim as new and desire to Patent- 1. Thecombination with a rotatable axle,

my invention, I secure by Letters of a wheel rotatable upon the axle, abushing between the wheel and the axle, and collars on the oppositesides of the wheel, the inner end of said bushing having a flangebetween the inner collar and the wheel 2. The combination with a hollowrotata-l lng having passages registering with the passages of the axle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS EDWARD LAMBERT.

Witnesses:

JOHN N. KIRK, FLORENCE GoGGrN.

